Airfield Operations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a airfield operations specialists in Rapid City, SD is $37,940/year ($18.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $42,553 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About airfield operations specialists
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What this looks like in Rapid City
Pay for airfield operations specialists in Rapid City runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 49.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for airfield operations specialistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for airfield operations specialists in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $31K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level airfield operations specialists (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Airfield Operations Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Airfield Operations Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $123K | +117% | 290 |
| Washington | $84K | +48% | 150 |
| Alabama | $79K | +38% | N/A |
| Arizona | $78K | +36% | 160 |
| Colorado | $78K | +36% | 70 |
| Oregon | $75K | +32% | 50 |
| Virginia | $72K | +27% | 280 |
| Alaska | $72K | +26% | 160 |
| New Mexico | $69K | +22% | 50 |
| Georgia | $67K | +17% | 340 |
| California | $63K | +10% | 1,660 |
| Idaho | $63K | +10% | 40 |
| Michigan | $62K | +9% | 440 |
| Nevada | $61K | +8% | 150 |
| Texas | $61K | +7% | 1,310 |
| Utah | $60K | +5% | 290 |
| Florida | $58K | +1% | 2,320 |
| Ohio | $57K | +1% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | -1% | 380 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | -2% | 340 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -13% | 80 |
| Iowa | $49K | -14% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -19% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -22% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $42K | -25% | N/A |
| New York | $42K | -26% | 2,190 |
| Missouri | $40K | -29% | 310 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -29% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | -31% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -33% | 190 |
| Indiana | $38K | -34% | 350 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -34% | 80 |
| Montana | $34K | -40% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -41% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -50% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track airfield operations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rapid City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airfield operations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 49.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for airfield operations specialists in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airfield operations specialists typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,828/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is airfield operations specialist a high-paying job in Rapid City?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $38K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for airfield operations specialists?
Rapid City pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do airfield operations specialists make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $37,940 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,460, and experienced airfield operations specialists can clear $49,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,710/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 49.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a airfield operations specialists salary go in Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airfield operations specialists salary is worth about $42,553 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do airfield operations specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.